


Sleeping Beauty and the Politics Mistake

by LectorEl



Series: Magic and Politics [1]
Category: Disney Princesses, Sleeping Beauty (1959)
Genre: Aurora the shadow-worker, Gen, Maleficent has Opinions about what sorts of birth-blessings you give a future ruler, Maleficent is an actual pushover, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Some Humor, and the king and queen really didn't want them at the christening, the one where the fairies are strange and untrusted
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-04
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-14 13:34:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1268317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LectorEl/pseuds/LectorEl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"In medieval culture, an event like a royal christening is not a private party; it’s the public social event of the year. To not invite any person of rank to such an event is a deadly insult. ...The only way the King and Queen could possibly have gotten away with not inviting Maleficent was to not invite any of the fairies at all; inviting the other fairies and excluding her is explicitly taking sides in the conflict between the fairy factions.</p><p>Which means they made themselves her sworn enemies, and she responded by treating them as such from then on. If you actually get into analyzing the social dynamics of the scene, it’s very clear that Maleficent was willing to show mercy at first by giving the King and Queen a chance to apologize for their disrespect to her. She doesn’t curse Aurora until after she gives them that chance."<br/>-<a href="http://freedominwickedness.tumblr.com/post/44873009396/valoscope-love-order-chaos-repeat">Freedominwickedness</a></p><p>Or in avoiding insulting one fairy, the monarchs provoke another, and the solution to that curse is very, very different from a magical coma. Aurora grows up with her tutor Maleficent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rahn (Rahndom)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahndom/gifts).



_In a far away land, long ago, lived a king and his fair queen. Many years had they longed for a child and finally their wish was granted. A daughter was born, and they called her Aurora. Yes, they named her after the dawn for she filled their lives with sunshine. Then a great holiday was proclaimed throughout the kingdom, so that all of high or low estate might pay homage to the infant princess. And our story begins on that most joyful day…_

“The most honored and exalted excellencies, the three good fairies. Mistress Flora, mistress Fauna, and mistress Merryweather!” The crier announces, voice rising over the conversations filling the receiving hall.

The fairies bow – shallowly – to the king and queen, and the monarchs echo their greeting nervously. No one liked to invite the fairy, with their often alien priorities and tendency to take offense, but it was hardly an option to snub them.

“Oh, the little darling,” Flora coos, while the queen restrains herself from snatching her child away.

Fauna clears her throat. “Your majesties, each of us the child may bless with a single gift. No more, no less.”

“How kind,” The king murmurs, and if his voice is drier than the occasion called for, who could blame him?

“Little princess, my gift shall be the gift of beauty,” Flora says to the infant, missing the unhappiness that shows in the queen’s face at the words.

“Tiny princess, my gift shall be the gift of song,” Fauna continues. Beauty and song, the courtiers whisper among themselves. There were worse outcomes than those, weren’t there? Only one more gift to be lain, and then their princess would be safe.

“Sweet princess, my gift shall be …” Merryweather starts, and thunder booms. The hall doors open, and standing there -

“Why, it’s Maleficent!” Flora exclaims angrily. “What’s she doing here?”

Maleficent’s eyes fall on them for a single instant, and black hatred flashes in her eyes for a moment before it’s gone. “Well, quite a glittering assemblage, King Stefan.” She pauses delicately, and continues, “I felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation.”

Several courtiers go white at the announcement. One even faints. Surely, surely Maleficent had been invited? The monarchs wouldn’t be so reckless as to snub _her_?

“You weren’t wanted!” Merryweather snarls, and eyes turn to her in realization. Anger shines in many.

“Not wa…? Oh dear, what an awkward situation. I had hoped it was merely due to some oversight,” Maleficent says, voice turning cool. “Well, in that event I’d best be on my way.”

“No! No, it was simply a misunderstanding, your excellency, you are quite welcome here,” The queen says, cutting off Merryweather’s attempt to protest.

Maleficent smiles, subtle threat fading. “I thought that might be the case, your majesties.” Her crow lifts off her shoulder to perch on the queen’s throne. The good fairies scowl and mutter among themselves, stopping abruptly as Maleficent approaches the cradle.

Flora stares at the king incredulously. “You’re not going to let _her_ offer a blessing, are you? She’s not to be trusted!”

“Oh, hush,” Maleficent says. “I am of this land just as you are, and I have right to gift the princess just as you. Really, have you any right to protest with the tin pennies you’ve given her? Superficial appeal and an affinity for music, of all things, when she will one day rule.”

The king is pale and tense, caught between the arguing powers. The court is silent, staring in fear for their infant princess.

“Well?” Merryweather demands. “Will you or won’t you?”

The king looks between them, at Merryweather on one side, Maleficent beside the cradle on the other. He swallows shallowly.“I …cannot offer such an unprovoked insult to my guest, mistress. Surely you know that.”

“Why! To let such a creature like her, it’s an insult to us! In fact,” Merryweather cuts off and draws her wand. “Let your rudeness take the blame for this, on the princess’ sixteenth birthday let her be pricked by as sharp a sting and fall to death!”

“No!” The queen seizes her child and cradles her against her breast, but it is far too late. The curse is lain.

“Well, that was an interesting turn,” Maleficent says, voice mild. She looks at the distraught queen. “I suppose you want me to do something about this?”

“If you would, your excellency,” the queen says, managing to imply a great deal of threat regarding what would happen if Maleficent _wouldn’t_.

Maleficent bows her head, amusement crossing her face at the queen’s unspoken threat. She sketches a shape in the air above the babe’s head, making a sound of satisfaction as thin traceries of light bloom in the wake of her hand. “I thought so. I cannot do much about this curse – not directly. Our magics are contrary in nature. But there may be ways to go _around_ it.”

Maleficent smiles, sharp-edged laughter gleaming in her eyes. “And I suppose I owe you a blessing in any case, child. Very well.” Maleficent lays a single finger on the sleeping princess’ forehead. “I give you the shadows, that you may know them, and name them. Perhaps even command them, should you try.”

The king looks at her. “How will that help her?”

“What is death but a shadow, your majesty?” Maleficent asks. She strokes her raven’s head thoughtfully. “Still, she will require some training. A talent is wasted without practice.”

A pause, and Maleficent slowly stiffens. “Why are you looking at me like that?”


	2. Chapter 2

A woman – no, a fairy, if more human than some – is seated in a carriage, a topless rush basket on her lap. If you listen closely, you can hear her muttering:

“ - nine hundred years old, heir of Sharrow, not a babysitter -”

A crow, perched on the top of the carriage, caws a rough series of notes. Maleficent directs a burning stare through the carriage's roof. “You overestimate your sense of humor, Corbin.”

Another caw, and Maleficent drums her fingers on the amathyst-on-black embroidery of her neckline. Corbin lets loose a strangled squawk as his feathers turn an acidic yellow. Maleficent smiles in the silence.

The carriage follows the bends in the road, up the high peaks to Maleficent's home, until at last the castle comes into view.

“Welcome to your new home, princess.” The thorn hedges surrounding the castle greet them with white poppies blooming at their feet, silvered by moonlight. The black marble of the castle walls gleam, the veins of gold-green mica almost lit from within. The entire castle, it seems, has put on it's finery to welcome their new resident.

“Such extravagance,” Maleficent chides lightly. The winds which whip about the high walls whistle the castle's unshamed amusement – when else will it/they/we have such a chance to play?

Maleficent curls her hand around a thick branch in the thorn hedge. “You'll have sixteen years to impress our little guest, you can restrain yourselves.”

The babe herself – sleeping soundly in a silk and wool lined basket – doesn't wake to see the show put on for her benefit.

 _It's human,_ the ward spells hum, curious.

“And fragile. She will be with us for some time,” Maleficent says, stroking the edge of the ward fondly. It murmurs its acknowledgment, folding around the princess. Maleficent sighs. One thing done, so many more to go.

“A cradle. Where might I find a cradle...?”

*^*^*

'Girl-chick's messing with the foxes,' Shiro, her eldest crow, reports approvingly. Maleficent sets down the cursed chalice she's examining, a now-familiar feeling of foreboding washing over her.

“She's doing _what_?”

 

“Here, chickee – chickee – chikadee,” Aurora coos, offering the strip of raw steak enticingly. “Come here, please.” The fox cub creeps a little closer, and Aurora smothers a grin. She stretches her arm out, inching forward. Almost, almost –

“Sunrise, what did I tell you?” Madam Mallorca asks. The fox cub bolts.

Aurora grimaced. “Not to,” she said reluctantly, sitting up and attempting to brush the mud and leaf muck off the front of her dress. Madam speaks a single, jagged syllable, and the mess drops to the ground.

Aurora cringed. Madam was angry.

“Exactly. Not to. You are far, far too young to be making any sort of contracts, let alone with foxes.” Madam crosses her arms. “I thought you knew better.”

“I... sorry, Madam.” she looked down, scraping at the dirt with her toe.

Madam sighs, all the anger draining from her body. “Don't be sorry, Sunrise, be careful. I don't make the rules for my own benefit. Come, we're going in for the day.”

“Yes, Madam.” Madam picks her up easily, and Aurora wraps her arms around Madam's neck. Madam's much stronger than anybody else Aurora's met, so she gets to be carried all the time. It's nice.

“Madam? Can I get a pet?”

Madam sigh-laughs, and ruffles Aurora's hair. “We'll see. No promises.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Expect mostly short little chapters for this. It's going to be a weird hybrid of a drabble-series and a chaptered fic.


End file.
